Ruby Tuesday: The new look.
The look is new, and so is the menu, which goes upscale a bit--a tricky move during tough economic times. But as this New York Times feature article on founder and CEO Sandy Beall and the chain notes, the redo was planned before the recession took hold. Like its competitors, Ruby Tuesday has experienced a drop in customers. Sales were down 8 percent last year, when the chain closed 54 restaurants. Its stock faltered but is moving up again with the unveiling of everything new.
Ruby Tuesday: Yesterday's look.
Gone, too, are the Southwestern egg rolls, dessert shooters, and riblet platters from the menu. Instead, you'll find "handcrafted" burgers, fork-tender ribs, and lots of seafood, including lobster, Asian Glazed Salmon, and Thai Phoon Shrimp.
Ruby Tuesday: The new dining room.
The restaurant company, which had its beginnings in the burger-and-beer campus eatery opened by Beall when he was a University of Tennessee student, also is pouring lots of money into training its managers and wait staff to improve the dining experience for its customers.
The big question is, will it all be enough to draw a recession-weary crowd into new-and-improved Ruby Tuesdays?
